The Big Circle Driving Trip 4/6/2012

by Chris Guenzler

Nathan and I met in the lobby in the Depot Inn & Suites at 8:00 AM and headed to Gibbs via US Highway 63 to
Route F to the bridge over the BNSF mainline. Even though it was cold this morning we weren't going to leave until
we had one train in each direction.

BNSF 1029 West at Gibbs.

Next came the BNSF 5091 West at Gibbs.

The BNSF 4042 East was next at Gibbs. From here we took Route V north to MO Highway 11 to Route J to MO
Highway 6 to Route P and the bridge over the BNSF mainline.

BNSF 4812 West at the Route P Bridge. From here we returned north to MO Highway 6 then right on MO 15
to the bridge over the BNSF mainline at West Baring.

The Southwest Chief at West Baring from the MO Highway 15 bridge. From here we took MO Highway 15
to Edina where we got on MO Highway 6 and we stopped at Casey's for gas and snacks. We then took MO
Highway 6 east to West Quincy but had some stops to make on the way there.

A nice park in Knox City. Further east we stopped in La Belle.

The La Belle CB&Q Station was built by the QO&KC Railroad.

There is a train inside the La Belle Station.

Railroad displays in La Belle. From here we headed east to West Quincy.

The BNSF yard at West Quincy.

The Carl Sandburg 381 from Chicago waits to return as the Carl Sandburg 382 later this afternoon at West Quincy.
Back in 1993 I was ticketed here but did not get to go here due to the Mississippi River flooding of that year.
From here we drove into Illinois for about three minutes.

The Mississippi River.

Welcome to Illinois Land of Lincoln sign. We made two left turns and we were heading back across the Mississippi
River towards Missouri.

The new bridge across the Mississippi River.

A side channel of the Mississippi River.

The Mississippi River.

The Missouri Welcomes You sign.

BNSF 5436 North leaving West Quincy on the BNSF Hannibal Sub. We went north on US Highway 61 towards Keokuk
with a planned stop in Canton.

The old CB&Q Station in Canton on the BNSF Hannibal Sub.

BNSF 9135 South north of Canton on the BNSF Hannibal Sub.

The BNSF Hannibal Sub over the Des Moines River.

We entered Iowa. We drove into Keokuk to our next stop.

Keokuk Station was used by the CB&Q, Wabash and Rock Island.

The original passenger depot in Keokuk was built by the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad and is owned
today by the Keokuk Junction Railway.

BNSF 2025 and 2015 were at Keokuk.

Keokuk Junction Railway 2047 at Keokuk. From here we returned to Missouri taking US Highway 136 to MO Highway 27
to Route C that takes us to Revere and the bridge over the BNSF mainline

The view from the Route C bridge in Revere. From here we went north and then back south on the first road
that took us to the second bridge over the BNSF mainline in Revere.

The view from bridge 2 in Revere. From here we returned to Route C west to MO Highway 81 but that had
a bridge out just before the bridge over the BNSF mainline. We took Route NN to Route AA which took us
back to US Highway 136. We took that west to Route A which took us to a grade crossing in Wyaconda.

The views at the second crossing at Wyaconda.

Herzog HZGX 187 at Wyaconda. From here we took Route A to Route U to Route A to Route M into Baring
where we made a stop.

The BNSF Building in Baring is built right where the Baring Santa Fe station once stood.

A loading platform.

East Baring before the new signals are put in service.

Never a train when you need one. From here we went west on MO 15 to Route J to MO 6 into Kirksville. I got KFC
for my dinner and Nathan got Long John Silvers. We returned south down US Highway 63 to La Plata and the Depot
Inn & Suites. I worked on this story then relaxed. At 8:30 PM Nathan and I went down the La Plata Amtrak Station
for some night pictures.

The Moon over the Trainweb.com and Trainparty building.

The La Plata Amtrak Station.

One more view of the La Plata Amtrak Station.

The grade crossing at the La Plata Amtrak Station.

The path to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point.

The Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point.

The path from the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point. We returned to the Depot Inn & Suites for my final night stay here
on this trip.